Release Date: 12/05/16
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
SYNOPSIS:
The Scarlet Gospels takes readers back many years to the early days of two of Barker's most iconic characters in a battle of good and evil as old as time: The long-beleaguered detective Harry D'Amour, investigator of all supernatural, magical, and malevolent crimes faces off against his formidable, and intensely evil rival, Pinhead, the priest of hell. Barker devotees have been waiting for The Scarlet Gospels with bated breath for years, and it's everything they've begged for and more. Bloody, terrifying, and brilliantly complex, fans and newcomers alike will not be disappointed by the epic, visionary tale that is The Scarlet Gospels. Barker's horror will make your worst nightmares seem like bedtime stories. The Gospels are coming. Are you ready?
REVIEW:
I’m always a little worried when as a reader we get to revisit an icon of a genre and to be honest I’ve been a bit worried about reading the new Pinhead title as I felt that if he didn’t live up to what I was expecting I’d not only be disappointed but quite upset at having a firm favourite manipulated into a shallow shell of what he was.
So with a great deal of reticence I picked up the book and began. OK, so it wasn’t as big a problem as I thought it was going to be but Pinhead had changed, he wasn’t the cenobite I was expecting and for me, whilst it was his book, he felt more like a player than the starring attraction. That was wrong and whilst I did enjoy a lot fo the description when something plays heavily against what I was expecting and changes an icon I really have a hard time fathoming some of the actions.
All round it is an OK book and whilst a number of people will love it with the solid prose and cracking description, a great many others will dislike it purely for the problems with our favourite cenobite. A solid Meh of a book for me.
Release Date: 01/10/15
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books/Quercus
SYNOPSIS:
In the Library of the Damned, hidden away amongst that vast depository of ancient wisdom, there exists a certain bookcase where the most decadent, the most blasphemous of tomes sit upon a dusty shelf.
And amongst those titles - that should never be named - there is one volume that is the most terrible, the most hideous of them all.That book is the Lexicon of Fear.
But, long ago, some of its pages were ripped from the binding and spirited away by a lowly student of the ancient science of Horrorology, who was determined the secrets contained therein would one day be shared with the world.
And now that day has come. These are the words thatcomprise the very language of horror itself, and the tales they tell are notfor the fainthearted. But be warned: once you have read them, there is noturning back. Soon, you too will know the true meanings of fear . . .
Featuring stories from Clive Barker, Robert Shearman, Michael Marshall Smith, Pat Cadigan, Mark Samuels, Joanne Harris, Muriel Gray, Kim Newman, Ramsey Campbell, Reggie Oliver, Angela Slatter and Lisa Tuttle.
REVIEW:
If there’s a fan that loves horror at Falcata Times, its Lady Eleanor and with Halloween being her favourite holiday she always looks forward to this time of year, buying up films and books to feed her need throughout the year. (Especially for Christmas.) So when this title with artwork by Clive Barker as well as being edited by Stephen Jones landed she couldn’t wait to get her hands upon it and run to her duvet of protection.
I had high hopes for this book from a selection of modern horror authors, as not only do I love the chance to try some authors that I may not have had the pleasure of spending time with but also knowing that I have pure talent from authors I love. What occurs within is a book that has a whole heap of talent within and whilst some of the tales left me feeling very flat as I hated the overuse of bad language (almost as if it was there to fill a word count, rather than entertain.) Whilst there are some cracking stories (I love Kim Newman) what always makes me happy about compendiums is that I can dip into them to get a horror fix when I need it, whether its on my way to work or during lunch or even to help me relax for bed.
All round, its an OK book and if you want to try some established names that are new to you alongside favourites, it’s a good way to spend your cash so you can make requests (or perhaps threats) for your Christmas list. Hopefully you’ll enjoy this fearful experience and at the end of the day, However because not every title gave me the goosebumps or chills I wanted it has a lower rating.
Release Date: 18/06/15
Publisher: Headline
SYNOPSIS:
When darkness falls the nightmare begins . . .
It is 1935 and a rubber plantation deep in the Amazon jungle is losing its labourers one by one. Company agent Miller arrives to investigate the mounting number of those disappearing as well as the brutal killing of a fellow agent.
Sightings of a corpselike girl and a man who bears a striking resemblance to the dead agent soon have Miller on edge. And when night falls, and the humid air fills with the stench of rotting flesh, he becomes convinced he's found the nearest thing to hell.
They roam through the darkness, hide in the shadows and shun the daylight. But what are these deathly-looking figures?
As the sun sets over the plantation, only a brave man dares to sleep...
REVIEW:
I love a good horror story late in the night, where every creak of the house chills you and that’s exactly what I got from Stephen Bywater’s new novel, Night of the Damned. I loved the way that he wove the tale with solid characterisation, top notch prose and of course with enough chills within to leave you wondering if you’ve pulled your duvet tight enough.
All round a great read and one that I really couldn’t put down mainly because I wanted the dawn light to be creeping through the windows when I went to sleep. Great fun.
Release Date: 17/04/15
Publisher: Titan
SYNOPSIS:
In the darkness of a underground cave, blind creatures hunt by sound. Then there is light, voices, and they feed... Swarming from their prison, the creatures thrive; to whisper is to summon death. As the hordes lay waste to Europe, a girl watches to see if they will cross the sea. Deaf for years, she knows how to live in silence; now, it is her family's only chance of survival. To leave their home, to shun others. But what kind of world will be left?
REVIEW:
A scary and perhaps weird offering from Tim that really does set the chill factor to 11 in this cracking horror title from Titan.
Its definitely strange but when you add solid descriptions alongside cracking prose and wonderful atmospheric build up all round generates a book that will keep you gripped long into the night.
Back this up with a good supporting cast as well as an unusual principle character and all round I was more than happy with this book, especially when you also throw in some great dialogue that demonstrates that even someone without “words” can be mighty in their own way. Great stuff.
Release Date: 23/10/14
Publisher: Pan
SYNOPSIS:
Darkness lives within ...Cash-strapped, working for agencies and living in shared accommodation, Stephanie Booth feels she can fall no further. So when she takes a new room at the right price, she believes her luck has finally turned. But 82 Edgware Road is not what it appears to be. It's not only the eerie atmosphere of the vast, neglected house, or the disturbing attitude of her new landlord, Knacker McGuire, that makes her uneasy - it's the whispers behind the fireplace, the scratching beneath floors, the footsteps in the dark, and the young women weeping in neighbouring rooms. And when Knacker's cousin Fergal arrives, the danger goes vertical. But this is merely a beginning, a gateway to horrors beyond Stephanie's worst nightmares. And in a house where no one listens to the screams, will she ever get out alive?
REVIEW:
The latest dark outing with Adam Nevill that delves into the dark heart of the human spirit as well as presenting a tale of the supernatural that will chill readers to the core. It’s definitely well written and whilst I’m more in love with his older poetic style that featured within his earlier titles (Apartment 16 and The Ritual), I have to admit that I enjoyed the way that this tale weaved its magic spell.
The prose was solid, the overall arc more than intriguing, however the major let down for me, was that the principle character within seemed to make some choices more for author convenience rather than through choice. All round a book that I did have a sleepless night reading and one that upon finishing left me happily fulfilled.
Release Date: 06/08/14
Publisher: Lulu.com
SYNOPSIS:
First Scream to the Last offers an intriguing insight into the horror movies of the Eighties. Extremely comprehensive without being bloated, this essential companion is supported with various interviews from filmmakers and writers of the time, amongst others. An often misunderstood and under appreciated genre, the '80s was arguably its golden era. With the creation of iconic characters and visual images never seen before on film, it remains a special time for anyone involved and the avid horror enthusiast alike. From giallo to slasher, First Scream covers the highest (and not so high) moments of this genre, leaving no question unanswered. Objective, Unbiased, Independent, Informative. www.firstscreamtothelast.com
REVIEW:
As a child of the 80’s I was raised on horror films, or rather to be more particular the sub-genre entitled Video Nasties (some of which were hunted for by Greater Manchester Police) by my Dad who Mum said was “too scared to watch them on his own.”
As such these felt like bonding time between us and as I watched the zombies munch their way through a small town, or monsters butching their way through the teenage population it was something that we shared.
So as a huge fan of a lot of these films, I was always surprised that no one tackled a book on the subject, that was until now. Here in Adrians novel, is a set of not only amazing horror movie facts but also interesting information such as the budget of the film vs the gross. Full of fun and with reminders of films that I had so much pleasure watching, this title took me back to my childhood and of course in the modern age of DVD’s has given me a great playlist to pick up for the Holiday period. Add to this interviews with some of the stars as well as one with Horror Master Wes Craven, all fans of the genre will have a treat in store. A very well written book, hope to see more by this author
Release Date: 24/10/13
Publisher: Hammer
SYNOPSIS:
Autumn 1940, World War Two, the Blitz. Bombs are raining down, destroying the cities of Britain. In London, children are being removed from their families and taken to the country for safety. Teacher Eve Parkins is in charge of one such group, and her destination is an empty and desolate house that appears to be sinking into the treacherous tidal marshes that surround it. EEL Marsh House - Far from home and with no alternative, Eve and the children move in. But soon it becomes apparent that there is someone else in the house; someone who is far deadlier than any number of German bombs...The Woman in Black.
REVIEW:
OK, I had high hopes for this book, after all I’ve had friends rave for years about the much loved Woman in Black by Susan Hill and as such hearing that there was an authorised sequel released gave me the chance to sit back and get that wonderful chill up the spine during the dark winter night reads that I had planned.
Unfortunately what I got was a title that fell far short of what I was expecting, it felt weak, the chill factor was missing and to be honest there weren’t any real twists that you couldn’t see coming from a mile off. It also felt poorly written when you compare against the original and to be honest I am left wondering if it was just a quick way to cash in on the success of what has gone before. A great shame to be honest.
Release Date: 24/10/13
Publisher: Robinson Publishing
SYNOPSIS:
For nearly twenty-five years The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror has been the world's leading annual anthology dedicated solely to showcasing the best in contemporary horror fiction. Comprising the most outstanding new short fiction by both contemporary masters of horror and exciting newcomers, this multiple award-winning series also offers an overview of the year in horror, a comprehensive necrology of recent obituaries, and an indispensable directory of contact details for dedicated horror fans and writers. The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror remains the world's leading annual anthology dedicated solely to presenting the best in contemporary horror fiction.
REVIEW:
To be honest whilst I’m a fan of Horror and love the idea of a compendium bringing the best of the genre to the fore, I felt a little let down with this book as the New Wave of Horror is not really to my own personal taste. Its too safe, it tends to rely on a singular pay off line and all round really doesn’t put a chill down my spine.
Don’t get me wrong, the book does have some spectacular pieces within but when I’m not getting that chill then I feel a little let down. All round the pieces within will more than please a fair few readers as the stories are to the point, great for travel and of course give the reader a great way to kill some travel time but for me its just a so so title.
Release Date: 10/10/13
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
SYNOPSIS:
Catherine's last job ended badly. Corporate bullying at a top television production company saw her fired and forced to leave London, but she was determined to get her life back. A new job and now things look much brighter. Especially when a challenging new project presents itself -- to catalogue the late M H Mason's wildly eccentric cache of antique dolls and puppets. Rarest of all, she'll get to examine his elaborate displays of posed, costumed and preserved animals, depicting scenes from World War I. When Mason's elderly niece invites her to stay at the Red House itself, where she maintains the collection, Catherine can't believe her luck. Until his niece exposes her to the dark message behind her uncle's 'Art'. Catherine tries to concentrate on the job, but M H Mason's damaged visions raise dark shadows from her own past. Shadows she'd hoped had finally been erased. Soon the barriers between reality, sanity and memory start to merge. And some truths seem too terrible to be real ...
REVIEW:
To be honest Adam Nevill is an author who exploded onto the writing scene a few years ago and for me, it was his wonderful prose that was almost poetic that really attracted my attention. I loved the way he could take you on a story into the unknown weaving it full of description that really helped the reader visualise what he was talking about and then also gave you something that was hard to put down.
Yet as the books have come out that’s changed, it feels that he’s gone for a more simplistic way of bringing the story to the fore and for me, that’s where the lustre starts to fall off. I love the old style of creatures and monsters where you don’t see the true villain, that allows the readers imagination to scare them a lot more than presenting it in all its technicolour glory.
Its this where Adam’s more recent books have failed and for me, it’s the human monster (such as the one portrayed in Adam’s short story, Florrie) that really makes my skin crawl. So when I heard about this tale, I was hoping that it would be a chance to get to see something pretty unique as his own take on the creepy aspect of taxidermy. It didn’t strike fear into me, it didn’t keep me interested and to be honest a lot of it felt like filler rather than getting to the nitty gritty which for me might have worked a lot better as a short story rather than a fully extended novel.
Add to this a bizarre story that wasn’t easily understood, snippets that felt like they’ve just been cut from previous titles alongside a story that felt dumbed down as well as ridiculous. All round left me feeling extremely cheated. I’ll keep reading his work in the vain hope of his return to the earlier style of prose but one more release like this and I will consider leaving him for quite some time. A great shame.
Release Date: 06/09/13
Publisher: Titan
SYNOPSIS:
Part of the Anno Dracula series, this title is considered alongside I Am Legend and Interview with the Vampire as one of the stand-out vampire stories of the last century.
REVIEW:
Kim Newman is an author who really delivers a book on subject matter that is close to his own blood sucking heart. The vampire. LOL What happens within this book is a story that has a lot of genre humour as well as bringing something magical to the fore.
It has cracking characters, top notch prose and when added to a sparkling writing style that is just as addictive as “Drac” all round generates a story that you’ll be more than pleased you sank your teeth into. That said, please remember to read the books that have gone before in this series as otherwise you may find yourself a little confused, Kim, I really am going to have to watch myself around you, as at the moment, I’m feeling like Renfield waiting for attention from his master.
Release Date: 07/02/13
Publisher: Hammer
SYNOPSIS:
There is a fine line between obsession and madness and Frankenstein just stepped across it. Escaping the guillotine Victor Frankenstein is now posing as Doctor. Stein, altruistic patron of the hospital for the poor. But in a secret basement laboratory he is harvesting body parts from his helpless patients, using them in his twisted experiments in a bid to create the perfect man. And this time he has help from a would-be pupil. His pupil seeks knowledge, but Frankenstein desires vengeance against all those who have tried to stop his terrifying work. The first time he tried, it ended in bloody mayhem, but now he is determined that nothing will go wrong. He wants revenge and God help anyone who gets in his way.
REVIEW:
Whilst I’m not always enamoured of the Hammer titles, when an author gets a tale to recreate for the modern reader that they clearly love you know that its going to be something special. Here in his retelling of this Hammer classic, the reader is given a story that they’ll really get behind as Victor returns to doing what he does best. Its definitely a story that will have you clutching the covers, back that up with a sympathetic take on the Baron’s own motives and all round make this a book that I sat back enjoying until sunrise the following morning with the light of day bringing a close to this chilling story.
Release Date: 07/02/13
SYNOPSIS:
You can do anything in Hollywood and be forgiven, anything except grow old...It's the 1930s and cinema stands at the dawn of a new age, the silent era is all but dead, talkies are here and Technicolor is on its way. The whole world loves movie icons Frank Nayland and Elizabeth Sasdy, lapping up each new picture and following their romantic life story both on and off the screen. But all is not as perfect as it appears. Not only has the advent of talkies meant torturous sessions with a vocal coach to try and remove Sasdy's Hungarian accent but she's starting to spot the first few grey hairs, and the lines on her face get deeper every day. If she loses her looks she'll lose everything, but even a woman as powerful as Elizabeth Sasdy can't fight nature. Can she? A chance accident reveals the solution. But just how far is the Queen of Hollywood prepared to go to stay beautiful forever?
REVIEW:
To be honest I’m a reader that’s old enough to remember the BBC showing seasons of Late Night Hammer Horror that coincided with me coming home from my part time job of Waiter at a restaurant with something nice to eat in tow. So to be blunt I have very fond memories of those times, so much so that I definitely recall catching Countess Dracula (featuring the attractive buxom Ingrid Pitt.)
So when Hammer brings a new book out from a film that I enjoyed way back when, I tend to like to read to see what they’ve done to bring it not only bang up to date but also to bring a touch of the nostalgia back. Within this book Guy Adams, brings it to the modern reader by setting it in an idealised 30’s Hollywood, It has a lot of the same twists but to be honest with the story following the original pretty closely I could definitely see that it was more than a little dated and didn’t really add anything new to the genre.
Its clichéd, the characters were more than a little flat and for me, the story really didn’t travel or do anything other than produce a book that wouldn’t have taken much to tame it down enough for the YA market. It disappointed, didn’t take me anywhere in my imagination and to be brutal was sadly lacking in so many ways. If you have to read this book borrow it from the library or wait for it to hit a cheap book shop near you as sadly I suspect a great many will be upset at the cost and lack of pay off.
Release Date: 17/01/13
SYNOPSIS:
When Beth wakes up one morning covered in dirt, she puts it down to an extreme case of sleep-walking. But when reports of a desecrated grave start to circulate, her night-time wanderings take on a sinister air. Soon the city is being plagued by strange sightings and sudden disappearances. Beth knows that something is changing within her. Something that's filling her with an urgent, desperate hunger that demands to be satisfied - at any cost...
REVIEW:
If I were to sum up this book in one line I’d have to modify a line from the original Romero “Night of the Living Dead.” “They’re coming to get you Beth.”
All round this no hold barred Hammer title really gives the reader what they want, there’s gore, there’s otherworldly creatures and when you add to this solid prose, great twists and a nod of the head to one of the greats that have gone before, really makes this a book to sit down and devour. Back that up with a cracking plot, a reasonable cast and all round if you want some classic horror in your bedtime reading, this will more than hit that spot. Great stuff.
Release Date: 04/10/12
SYNOPSIS:
'Your children will die. Your community will die. To give me back my life.' The small rural community of Shettle has fallen into a decline. It is rife with crime and its inhabitants plagued by ill-fortune. When the Circus of Nights arrives the people are drawn to it like moths to a flame: it's as though they are bewitched. Only four men realise that there is something terribly wrong. And as the town is enclosed in a barrier of 'sickness' through which no one can enter or leave, they must do their utmost to protect their loved ones, before it's too late...
REVIEW:
Having had a real hard time with some of the Hammer Horror book adaptations its come almost as a relief to have a book that’s based on one of the films that I’m not that familiar with, yes I know the name and who starred (Anthony Higgins (or Corlan as he was then) as well as the lovely Adrienne Corri) but that was about it.
So targeting this title with a clean slate was a wonderful blessing. It worked very well, the characters jumped off the pages into my imagination and the authors writing style in my opinion complimented a screenplay very well allowing it to skip off the pages.
Back that up with a few modern touches, some wonderfully evocative visuals within and all in this for me is perhaps the best Hammer film to book adaptation to date. Great stuff.
Release Date: 05/07/12
SYNOPSIS:
In a quiet field in Buckinghamshire, a huge crack has appeared in the earth's surface. And people are dying. Incinerated beyond recognition. At the same time, hospitals have noticed an increase in catastrophic deformities in foetuses, and cancer levels soaring. Dr Adam Royston, a scientist working at the nearby military base, thinks he knows what it is; a creature as old as the earth that slumbers for centuries, then wakes to feed on the energy and radiation produced by humans. But if he's right, and they can't find a way to destroy the creature roaming the countryside, then it's not just Buckinghamshire that could be in danger, but the whole world.
REVIEW:
Part of the problem when you bring a book up to date from an earlier time is that the things that scared the viewer back then is something that can be quite tame by todays standard. Such is the case with this adaptation of the Hammer 1956 film X: The Unknown where radiation is the fear of the day.
Sadly by bringing it forward to today’s setting a lot of what was assumed back then has sadly bitten the dust in not only theory but has been blasted into oblivion by fact. That alone took the book well out of the realms of believability which whilst you can suspend whilst watching the film sadly just niggles the reader.
Whilst Shaun’s writing is a highlight for the publisher, as a reader I was sadly hoping for a lot more than was actually presented as this book felt flat not only in the subject matter but also with the characters within that weren’t fleshed out enough for me to care for them as a reader. All in a great shame.
Release Date: 05/07/12
SYNOPSIS:
He is raising the poker again and Anna bites her lower lip so hard she chokes a little in the blood that runs down her throat...On a cold, wet night recently widowed psychology lecturer John Pritchard visits spiritualist Aida Golding with his son. Although wary something has driven him here. And he is drawn to a troubled young woman who is trying to contact her child. Something about her intrigues him and despite his doubts he continues to attend meetings. One night at an intimate seance in Aida's house the lights go out and one of the group is brutally murdered. John has his suspicions but he can't prove anything. He senses that Aida has some hold over the girl and he offers her a place of refuge in his home. But the past haunts Anna in the most chilling of ways. And all too soon John realises he's made a terrible mistake...
REVIEW:
I’m always a little dubious when a film is novelised, especially when the film is something of a British Classic from the Hammer studio’s whilst the book has been brought up to date to appeal to a modern audience part of the problem for the reader is the loss of the Victorian courtesies that allowed the film to feel organic, with the roles being carefully fleshed out Eric Porter and Angharad Rees.
Sadly this book fell short of what I would have expected not only on a title based on the film but of the talent to which we know he has as we’ve read quite a bit of his material. The characters were sadly 2d, the pace sadly lacking and all in the book really felt that it should have been left where it was to allow the film to stand on its own merit. Hopefully other Hammer books will do a better job of adaptation than this but with a well-known author falling flat, that does leave me wondering if it’s really going to be worth my time.
Release Date: 15/03/12
SYNOPSIS:
The official novelisation of the forthcoming movie Cabin in the Woods, directed by Joss Whedon. The details of the plot are a closely guarded secret, though Joss himself has described it as 'a straight-up, balls-out, really terrifying horror movie', adding, 'it is not just a slasher in the woods. It's a little more complicated than that...'
REVIEW:
OK, I haven't seen the film but I know Tim's name so I thought that his adaptation was going to be a decent offering. What unfurls is a fairly visual depiction and one that suits the authors writing style down to the ground. The prose is sharp, the description solid and when added to the authors ability to adapt and create a feeling of horror, it's a title that really did hit the spot for me as a reader.
All in a solid release and one that will do the format justice, especially if you like something to scare that you can put down, just remember to leave a gap before turning off that light.
Release Date: 02/04/12
SYNOPSIS:
Dead soldier Bart Gregory has two problems; 1) he's a zombie and 2) he needs blood - lots of blood - or he'll "die" all over again. Turning to his best buddy Joey for support, the two hatch a plan to guarantee supply and create a win-win situation. Convinced that no one will miss the drug dealers and killers of their corrupt city, the friends become "The Vigilante Gun Slingers", turning the scum of the streets into snacks for Bart...
Both belly-bustin' funny and blood-thirsty gory, The Revenant is a fantastic action-packed horror comedy with a difference!
REVIEW:
Horror is a genre that’s hard enough to get right without adding comedy into the mix. What the film “The Revenant” does is bring together a lot of the cult classics and add their own twist into the mix which considering it has the writing talent from Bubba Ho-Tep behind it clearly demonstrates that the writer is more than a one hit wonder.
Whilst the film has been out a number of years (originally done in 2009) it has been quite a while waiting to make its DVD release (rather ironically when you consider that Bart is a Revenant.) Add to the mix some solid twists, a mission gone awry and the whole buddy movie option built in (with the chemistry of Daniel Anders and Chris Wylde working wonderfully) and this will become a cult classic. Great stuff all in and a lot of fun to watch especially on a Friday or Saturday Night.
Release Date: 05/01/12
SYNOPSIS:
'There was no warning of any kind...' Friday rush-hour. Martin Gregory, laden with packages, just manages to catch the 4.48 train. Tomorrow is his wife's birthday - he has a surprise in store - and he plans to devote the weekend to her and their beloved dogs. But Saturday morning, Martin rises early and does something so horrific, so inexplicable and so out of character, and his only option is to run ...And from this shocking incident the journey begins. With the help of a therapist he can't trust, and friends who no longer trust him, Martin's quest for meaning takes him down shifting realities and twisted corridors of time into the deepest recesses of the human mind. It is a world of menace and obsession from which neither he - nor the reader - can escape, for Martin Gregory is either lost in a dark maze of madness and horror, or frighteningly sane.
REVIEW:
This is a reissue of the book originally released back in Eighties and whilst for a lot of people it’s a title that will entice them from the glossy cover, it’s one that sadly shows its age which might not live up to readers expectations in the modern world. Whilst the opening if bloody and will firmly grab the reader, it’s one that will either have you craving for more or wondering if you should keep reading. It’s one hell of a start and as the book progresses we get to find out through the use of hypnosis the keys that have caused the principle players actions.
Add to this a book told from two points of view (the principle character Martin and his psychologist Dr Somerville) it quickly throws you into disarray as to whom is playing who as well as which way it’s going to end up. If you look past the errors and a lot of the modern demands on a book it is enticing and it is one that will have you asking questions throughout but for me. It’s not one that stands the test of time so well.
Release Date: 05/01/12
SYNOPSIS:
Imagine there was a supernatural chiller that Hammer Films never made. A grand epic produced at the studio’s peak, which played like a cross between the Dracula and Frankenstein films and Dr Terror’s House Of Horrors...
Four passengers meet on a train journey through Eastern Europe during the First World War, and face a mystery that must be solved if they are to survive.
As the ‘Arkangel’ races through the war-torn countryside, they must find out:
What is in the casket that everyone is so afraid of? What is the tragic secret of the veiled Red Countess who travels with them? Why is their fellow passenger the army brigadier so feared by his own men? And what exactly is the devilish secret of the Arkangel itself?
Bizarre creatures, satanic rites, terrified passengers and the romance of travelling by train, all in a classically styled horror novel.
REVIEW:
Christopher Fowler is perhaps best known for his Bryant and May Detective series so I was a little apprehensive when I discovered that he was writing a horror story for Solaris, not that I doubted that he could do it, but when an author is established in one genre, it is often hard for the reader to adapt to them in another.
That said, I really shouldn’t have worried as a lot of the skills utilised in the crime genre translate wonderfully to the horror. As usual with Christopher’s writing you have top notch characters, solid prose and of course when added to an illustrious history of British Horror Giant, Hammer, then it’s a tales that’s as gripping in the bound form as the celluloid was for me growing up.
Add to this, a few magical twists alongside an identifiable authorly voice which will leave the reader in no doubt about what a treat this title is with the odd sleight of hand trick. Cracking.
Release Date: 03/10/11
SYNOPSIS:
George A. Romero Presents Deadtime Stories, Volume 1 Directed by: Jeff Monahan and Matt Walsh Starring: Nick Mancuso, Kristin Slaysman, Jeff Monahan, Amy Marsalis and Bingo O’Malley Running time: 76 minutes, Rated R Three film shorts presented by the godfather of horror George A. Romero. In “Valley of the Shadow,” a woman gets funding to investigate her husband’s disappearance. “Wet,” a lonely alcoholic fisherman digs up the wrong type of buried treasure. Housecall, a town doctor is called to the home of a boy who is experiencing a change and it’s not puberty.
REVIEW:
As a long time fan of George’s work I thought that this might be something in the vein of Creepshow and was looking forward to the three stories presented. Alas that was not the case as each of the short films had an introduction from the master of the macabre read in the form of a short poem. Whilst it was cleverly done, the production values of the three tales were more handheld than professional camera’s, the stories fell short of what I was expecting and at the end of it all I only really enjoyed one of them (the third by Tom Savini) as it had a decent surprise twist to the mix.
Add to this a poor cast of characters, some poor effects and sadly it is a volume best left on the shelves in the hope to catch it on the TV (which knowing the Horror Channel won’t be that far off.) A great shame all in.
